The competition, which was founded to commemorate the writer and broadcaster, Francis Mac Manus, has been a source of encouragement and inspiration to thousands of emerging writers over the years and continues to offer a platform for the best of new Irish writing.

This year’s Francis McManus Award received 810 entries which were eventually whittled down to a shortlist of 25 short stories by panelists Molly McCloskey, John MacKenna and Alan Titley. The three finalists are: